Winter hits Bradley hard, administration responds

By Gretchen Wolking on February 14, 2014

Car crashes, broken pipes and icy weather were all in the forecast for the United States this winter.
Peoria was no exception.
The Peoria Journal Star reported that, as of Feb. 5, the local snowfall totaled to 37.1 inches. That total is 0.6 inches short of the 10th snowiest winter in the area.
So with two days of specific severe weather Jan. 27 and Feb. 5, Bradley spent two days without classes, and a major water mainline break in the Downtown area Monday meant one day without water.
“I think Bradley handled the water break well,” said freshman chemistry major Devon James. “The signs they put up were a great idea.”
Vice President of Business Affairs Gary Anna said his team tried to do all they could for the “little village” of Bradley during all three days.
“We have a number of routines that deal with the physical aspects of the weather,” Anna said. “But this one took an entirely different turn. I don’t remember ever being closed just for the cold.”
But this year the campus saw new developments due to the extreme negative temperatures. Two windows in Swords Hall and one in Markin Family Recreation Center cracked and needed to be replaced because of the fluctuating temperatures inside and out, Anna said.
Even though individual and clusters of buildings had been without water in the past, this was also the first time that the entire campus was without water.
But campus kept from freezing completely with the help of some dedicated staff members. According to Anna, facility members helped clear the snow, and some of the campus’ essential personnel even stayed overnight to ensure that they would be able to be at work the next day.
“The crews and equipment that have been very reliable this year,” Anna said. “We asked [for] something special [from] them this winter.”
Students, however, did not seem to be pleased with the quality of the snow removal.
“I do not feel Bradley did a good job removing snow,” said sophomore political science major Jason Blumenthal. “By leaving certain areas of snow, [Bradley] left it to freeze into a layer of ice that was then covered in snow causing more issues.”
With the winter storm season coming to an end, and the last couple days that have been warm enough to melt the snow, it seems like campus is finally beginning to thaw.
Anna said the thawing could bring some new problems though. The frost in the ground and the melting snow may cause ponding in places, dead turf from the salt and other possible issues.
But overall, Anna said the reactions to this frigid winter are all about where you come from.
“Most of us aren’t used to winters like this,” Anna said. “This winter is wearing on people in a different sense. Mental durability gets tested… and everybody gets to feeling a little cooped up.”